


Through Childlike Ways Rebellion and Crime

by thestoryofnarry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Innocent Liam, M/M, Not so innocent Niall, Punk Harry, smart niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 01:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1921974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestoryofnarry/pseuds/thestoryofnarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall just moved to Ireland and his cousin Liam is living a double life and Harry is just too handsome to ignore. </p><p>Or the one where Liam tells Niall to stay away from the "fuck-ups" but is in a relationship with one of them. Harry is the punk everyone loves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through Childlike Ways Rebellion and Crime

**Author's Note:**

> Title belongs to a lyrics of one of my favorite songs.  
> Short and fluffy type of thing, I imagined the story different but it just took its own course.

Harry Styles looked like your average fuck up. He always wore a band t-shirt which ranged from Joy Division, Sex Pistols and The Rolling Stones along a worn out denim jacket. His black jeans were worn out and ripped and his black boots looked worse than those of the homeless. He always had earphones plugged to his ears and his hair was always curly and wild.

Nevertheless, Harry always gave a warm smile to old ladies and small children. The thousands meaningless tattoos adorning his skin did not scare off the children, but instead it sparked their curiosity, and their mothers walked away grudgingly telling the kids they were not allowed to get tattoos until they were older and wiser.

He wasn’t a bad person. Yes, he skipped class almost every day. He smoked on and off of campus, behind fields and in front of bars. He drank almost every weekend and had a very large reputation for sleeping around.

But he was also a gentleman. He had the decency to offer his friends rides after they became too intoxicated to drive. He helped people cross the streets and carried their bags from time to time. He worked at the local bakery across the street from the church and although his tattoos had to be covered completely, Harry loved working there.

Basically it was easy money he could use to buy pot and alcohol for the weekend.

But still, Harry was the “nice one” out of the group of fuck-ups that roamed the town. Styles, along with Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik and the occasional Perrie Edwards and Eleanor Calder caused havoc throughout the city. Zayn was known as the notorious tagger. Some of his works could be considered art, but most were obscene pictures and their names in gang-related writing. The girls used their good looks and charms to bribe the men from the liquor store to sell them alcohol even though they were clearly under age, and Louis was just… crazy.

These were the first group of people Niall was warned about when he moved to London. His older brother Greg had been kicked out of school at Mullingar, which had been their last resort, so their mother thought it was time for them to move with their cousins in London.

It was Greg’s last opportunity to straighten his behavior, yet Niall had to carry with the baggage. He had lost his top scholar spot at his old school; he was no longer eligible for the football scholarship he wanted to apply to, and he didn’t know if his new school would be as accepting towards his sexual orientation as his old school was.

So here was Niall walking into his new school with his boring new uniform and a boring satchel that held all the books his mother had already bought him. Fortunately for him, Liam, his cousin, was in the same year as him, so they shared a couple classes. Liam was taller than Niall (then again most of the boys his age were) and had a warm welcoming complexion.

According to his mom, Liam was an average straight A student as well and he would have no trouble fitting in with Liam’s group of friends. Liam had warned Niall about the group of fuck0-ups, and had clearly pronounced that he was not to make friends with these people.

“What’s your first block Niall?” Liam said as they entered one of the buildings that looked more like a hotel than a high school.

“I think I have Calculus first.”

“Cool, I have Bio-Chemistry first, so I’ll walk you to class.”

“No it’s fine; I think I can find my way across campus. Thanks man.” Niall said as he walked away from Liam.

He lied. There was no way he could find his way in this huge ass campus. _‘Fuck my life man, why couldn’t I just stay back in Ireland. Fucking Greg’_ he thought.

He heard a few laughs that were probably directed towards him, and when he actually paid attention, he noticed that he was the only one wearing that stupid burgundy cardigan and fancy pants.

“You have to be fucking kidding me.” He mumbled under his breath.

“Did you forget it was no uniform Monday mate?” someone said from behind him. It was only a matter of time until someone mentioned it to him, and it really shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did, yet Niall still turned around in anger.

“Yeah I kind of figured that when I saw that I was the only twat to show up in uniform.” He said sarcastically. The guy that had spoken to Niall had turned out to be closer than what he had anticipated, and Niall ended up mumbling these words into (the really damn tall) shoulders of the guy.

“Shit mate, sorry” the taller boy mumbled, and when Niall pulled away, he saw one of the most handsome guys he had ever seen.

It was Harry, it had to be. This guy fit Liam’s descriptions entirely. He had long curly hair wrapped around a stupid looking bandana, a Nirvana t-shirt, _tight_ skinny jeans, with a dark denim jacket.

“I mean it’s not like I wear the uniform either way but it’s nice to not get in trouble for it you know?” Harry said.

 _‘Dammit that voice, so deep and slow’_ Niall thought to himself.

“Yeah… I just…Didn’t know. I wouldn’t have worn it had I known.” He admitted shyly.

“No problems mate, it does look a bit uncomfortable.”

“Yeah it is, but oh well.” He moved to the side to let Harry pass by, but his hand was yanked back.

“What’s your name Blondie?” Harry whispered in his ear. The proximity allowed Niall to smell the distinct odors Harry carried: pot, cologne and mint.

“What’s it to you?” he whispered back harshly. He didn’t want anything to do with him, or his group of friends. Harry released his arm with a simple ‘sorry’ and walked away without another word.

_‘What the hell was that about?’_

+

 

Either Harry belonged to another year, never went to class, or simply had a different schedule; Niall didn’t see him in any of his classes. Which he was glad for of course, but he was intrigued by Harry, and that was no good.

By the end of the day, Niall had managed to make 2 friends, which was way less than what he had in his last school but he figured the uniform didn’t help much. Liam had offered to walk home with Niall since he still did not know the way around the busy streets of London and the walk home was quiet and awkward.

“Do you mind if we pass somewhere first before we head home? I forgot to give something to Zayn.” Liam asked timidly. Niall nodded silently even though he had millions of questions at the tip of his tongue.

_Who the fuck is Zayn again?_

_Couldn’t Liam give whatever he was giving Zayn before?_

_Didn’t Liam tell Niall to stay away from that group of people which Zayn belonged to?_

Niall didn’t let himself ask these questions out loud before they arrived to an empty parking lot filled with tagging.

Not creepy, not creepy at all.

Liam walked steps ahead of Niall as if he didn’t want Niall to notice their interactions. There were 5 figures sitting and standing straight to where they were walking so Niall figured one of them must be Zayn.

“Weheeeyy! Payne! Long time no see! I thought Zayn here had forgotten about you!” Someone shouted as they came into clear view. There were a few involuntary coughs which brought Niall’s attention to the cloud of smoke surrounding the figures. He contemplated turning back then and there but then he would leave Liam here with these people; then again Liam walked voluntarily here.

“I’d never forget about him Lou, jesus just look at his arms, those are not easy to forget I’ll tell you.” Someone else shouted. Liam greeted all the guys there with friendly handshakes and the two girls with warm hugs.

 _‘Well then I guess that’s what cousin Liam does during the afternoons’_ Niall thought. Then again, he wasn’t judging, he always drank a beer or two during Friday night football, he was just surprised that sweet little Liam would hang around “the fuck ups” as he called it.

“So to what do we owe your lovely visit Leeeyuum, I mean it’s not that I don’t want to see your lovely face but Zayn here would kill me if we hook up again.”

“Oh shove off Louis; he has better judgment than to ever hook up with someone like you.” Someone said. The guy wrapped his arm around Liam’s shoulder and pulled him impossibly closer. He was darker than Liam by a mile, and Niall really wished he knew who was who.

“Who’s this handsome young man you’ve brought to our lair Liam?” The boy hanging off Liam’s shoulders asked. Liam eyes were frantic as if he remembered that Niall even existed. He awkwardly removed the guy off him and moved closer to Niall.

“Yeah so Niall this is Zayn, Louis, Perrie and El.” Liam said as he motioned to each figure sitting in the circle.

“Did you forget about me Payne? I’m the most handsome person here.” Someone said as they emerged from the back of the group. Niall saw the ball of hair sitting on the top of the guy’s head.

_Harry. Seriously, he had to be here too of course._

“Oh yeah, I forgot about you.” Liam joked. Harry simply let out a surprised noise but patted him in the back in acceptance.

“I'm Harry.” He said as he extended his hand to Niall. “I assume you’re Niall or else Liam is a liar.”

Niall shook his head and extended his hand to meet Harry’s. His hand was warm and big in contrast to Niall.

“Where did you find this one Liam, I hadn’t seen him around school.” Louis said.

“He’s my cousin, they just moved here from Ireland.”

“Oh you’re Irish?! Go on, say something then.” Perrie exclaimed.

“What do you want me to say?” he replied sarcastically. He just really wanted to go home, he was just wasting is time here.

The group laughed collectively as if Niall had just come up with the funniest joke of all time, and he really couldn’t be bothered to join.

Liam shifted his attention back to Zayn who now had a cigarette firm between his lips. From the looks of it, Liam and Zayn were having a heated argument but Niall was too far to hear what they were fighting about.

“It’s okay, they’re fighting ninety percent of time they’re together but they manage to make it work, even though they’re complete opposites.” Harry whispered behind him.

It was the second time Niall was so close to Harry and the thought of being even closer brought a flutter to his chest. Harry was just so handsome and that fact that he smelled so good was not fair to the human race. There just couldn’t be so many good qualities in a boy with a ridiculous ball of curly hair and dimples.

“Why did you leave?” He asked suddenly.

“What are you going on about?

“When I asked ‘What’s it to you?’ Why did you leave?”

He felt Harry shuffle closer to Niall before turning Niall so they were now face to face. His hands were still on his waist and Niall could really care less about the answer to his question. Harry’s brows were furrowed with a concerned expression.

“I thought I was bothering you, so I decided it was best to leave.” Harry whispered so only Niall could hear. His voice was low and seductive and Niall was debating whether meeting Harry was a good thing or not.

“You’re an idiot.” He whispered back.

“You’re incredible.” His face was filled with amusement and Niall couldn’t figure out if Harry was mocking him or he was trying to compliment him. He wasn’t able to ask before Louis began to shout.

“Oi, Zayn! I love you mate but I seriously don’t want to see you shag the life out of young Liam in front of us. Actually scratch that, I bet Liam just gags for it.”

Niall turned around in amusement just in time to watch Liam smack Louis in the head and shush him.

“Oh shit, I didn’t know he didn’t know, sorry Liam.”

“Its fine Liam don’t worry about it. I’m gay too, if that’s what you’re worrying about.” Niall confessed. The color returned to Liam’s face and he instantly rushed over to Zayn’s side and kissed him full on the lips. He detached himself from the darker boy seconds later and rushed over to Niall and hugged him.

“Thank man! Just don’t tell my mom yet, yeah? Don’t really know what she would say to be honest so I’m trying to figure that out.”

“Yeah don’t worry about it.” Liam smiled and ran off the give Zayn whatever it was he was giving to him. Niall just hoped it wasn’t anything sexual because yes he was gay but there was nothing attractive about his cousin sucking off another guy in an empty lot.

“So, you’re gay too?” Harry asked. He was once again on Niall’s side and Niall pouted in annoyance. He liked having Harry’s flush body behind him radiating heat.

“Too? It’s just me and Liam isn’t it.” He didn’t know if it was okay to ask this question, but Harry was really attractive and maybe Niall could have a chance with ‘baddass’ Harry Styles after all .

“Don’t forget about me doll, don’t forget about me.”

Harry walked away as soon as he came and Niall was left flabbergasted and flustered.

 

+

 

It was three weeks later before Niall even laid eyes on Harry again. He had been so focused in catching up with course work and training so he could try out for the football team that he had barely even seen Liam.

Niall stepped out of his room and headed straight into the kitchen for a beer and sandwich because that was the only way he would actually be capable of finishing his stupid course work. The first thing he saw when he stepped in the kitchen was Zayn who was scrolling through his phone and sitting on top of the bar.         

“Hey” Niall greeted.

Zayn looked startled but quickly regained his calm theatric face and greeted Niall promptly.

“Hey, Liam tells me you’ve been MIA, and then Louis told me that you tried out for the footie team. I didn’t know you played?”

“Yeah, I dabble.”

“He told me you’re really good. Like scored 10 out 10 penalties good. Louis is like in love with you, thinks that if he gets you on the team they might actually make it to play-offs this year.”

Niall smiled at the compliment and reached for his beer.

“Thanks. You want one?”

“You drink?” The dark boy asked in amusement.

“You don’t?” Niall simply countered. Zayn looked surprised at Niall’s response but shrugged it off.

“Not really, I used to drink my ass off every day; Liam’s helping me get off it. I’m surprised you drink actually.”

Niall shrugged of his comment with a simple “I’m Irish” and walked back to his room. Liam’s parents owned a mansion so Niall and his family were allowed to move in with them. In order to compensate for Niall’s misfortune, his mom had bought him a lovely cat that was now sitting at the edge of his bed. The cat was a fat thing only but ate, slept, and bothered Niall at three o’clock in the morning.

He heard a soft knock at the door and wondered if Zayn had told his aunt that he was drinking up here in his room, not like there was anything wrong with it really.

“Hello?” a deep voice asked as the door began to open. Harry’s face peered in his room.

“Come in.”

Harry smiled and let his whole body into the room. He was wearing a loose white shirt that showed Niall the tattoos written over Harry’s skin.

“We were here to pick up Liam because we’re going out, we wanted to know if you wanted to join us.” He said quietly. The thought of going out with “the fuck-ups” as Liam had clearly told him before excited him, but it also confused him.

Liam had so clearly told him not to hang around this group of people, yet he was in a relationship with one of them.

“Sure” he replied simply. If Liam was going to get in trouble for being their friends, then might as well Niall get in trouble with him.

 

+

 

His first mistake was forgetting a sweater.

Actually his first mistake was agreeing to go out with these idiots.

Zayn, Harry, Liam, Louis and Niall made their way to the nearest beach when the London weather was not helping and the late time certainly wasn’t either.

They were all compacted into a single car, which of course it had to be Harry’s. Louis had so sweetly called off his shotgun space so Niall could sit in the front next to Harry and the rest of the three boys sat in the back.

The beach was desolate and cold and Niall wished his shirt was at least long-sleeve so he could handle the cold.

Liam and Zayn were having a romantic walk on the beach while Louis and Harry were splashing each other like twelve year old girls.

“Come join us Nialler, the water is great” Louis kept shouting while Niall simply shook his head.

He shook his head twenty more times before both Louis and Harry flopped down beside him. Their bodies were cold and it made Niall shiver even more than what he already was.

“So tell us about yourself Niall. Since the first time we saw you, you became a mystery to us all. Liam told you us you were a brainiac and that you would never hand around people like us because you were so high and mighty. But yet here you are, hanging out with us losers. Trying out for the shitty ass footie team we manage to keep at school, and I'm saying that even though I'm captain, ironic really.”

Niall’s brain was buzzing with information. Liam thought that Niall was some sort of stuck up intelligent person that didn’t have any friends, yet Liam said the same thing about them.

“Funny, because he said the same thing about you guys.” He let out. He honestly didn’t care if he had jeopardized his only shot of having friends but with friends like these why the hell did he need enemies.

He got up from the hood of Harry’s car and began walking towards any way that might lead him home. He heard Harry shouting his name but he couldn’t bring himself to turn, so instead Harry did that for him.

“Hey, Niall wait.” He said smoothly. His voice made Niall’s heart flutter and of course Harry would chase after him instead of Louis.

“What? I’m really cold and I’d really like to go home.” Niall said sourly.

“We know. We know what Liam says about us.”

“And you guys are okay with it?” Niall shouted angrily. Liam was literally talking shit about everyone around him and the thought made him angry.

“No Niall, we tell him to say those things. His parents aren’t okay with him being gay or being friends with us so it’s better if they think he hates us. Me they’re okay with because I see them at work all the time, but Louis and Zayn do stuff that seems worse than it actually is. Liam was going to tell you sooner but he thought you understood when you were so supportive of him and Zayn. And then the Louis thing, you learn to identify when he’s joking around the more you hang around him.”

Niall nodded throughout Harry’s speech, but his breath hitched when he realizes how close their bodies are. Niall’s face is tucked in Harry’s shoulder while Harry leaned down to have his lips ghost over Niall’s neck. He grabs at Niall’s waist to tug him closer so every inch of their bodies are pressed against each other.

“It’s the truth Niall, believe me. Do you want to hear another truth doll?” Harry whispered in Niall’s ear while the shorter boy could do nothing but nod.

“I’m amazed by you. You're so beautiful and amazing and you’ve completely caught me off guard. I would love to one day fall in love with you Niall.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, Niall searched Harry’s lips only to connect them with his own. Harry tasted like chocolate and mint and when their tongues touched Niall was in heaven. He had his fair share of kisses before, but this one was by far his best.

“Do you want to go on a date with me doll? I’ll take you anywhere you want.”

“If you don’t stop calling me doll, then we won’t even get to second base.” Niall teased.

Harry simply smiled and leaned down to kiss Niall again.

“Doll, we both know you like these nicknames.”

 

+

 

Niall and Harry became a thing after that. They were always together; before school, during school, afterschool. They were together on the weekends and basically every day of the week. It was weird because they had very little in common. Niall considered himself average with nothing special about him. He played sports and liked a good beer but other than that he was one hundred percent dedicated to his studies. He had very little friends and liked the small quiet life.

Harry on the other hand liked to think that he was a very rare phenomenon and that all of his friends were lucky to know someone as special as him (in a non-cocky way). He was a drinker and a smoker and he liked to look as ragged as possible. He liked to drag Niall to the local bar where shitty indie bands were playing covers of his favorite rock bands and he liked Niall to pretend he was actually enjoying himself.

Contrary to popular belief, Harry was actually the top scholar of his class, which of course angered Niall and had turn into a proper argument between the two.

They fixed it by making out on Niall’s bed with the textbook sprawled over the floor.

Niall fit in perfectly in the group. He became Louis’ personal cheerleader, and encouraged his every move. He was Liam accomplice every time they coerced the boys to do coursework or participate in student wide activities. Zayn and Niall turned out to be the artistic of the bunch, and Niall began putting Zayn’s name in internships applications and art galleries (Zayn may have acted like he was mad at Niall for doing things without his permission but he was secretly glad and excited). And to Harry, Niall was everything.

“Is it bad if I'm glad at your brother for fucking up one last time so you moved here to London?” Harry admitted once he and Niall were lethargic and naked under the covers. Niall was lying on his stomach while his head rested on Harry’s shoulder. Their height difference was even more evident when they were lying together because even though they were head to head, no pun intended, Niall’s legs barely wrapped around Harry’s calves.

“No, I'm glad we moved here too.” Niall replied lazily.

“Does it bother you what I am and what I do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Yeah, does it bother you that I smoke almost every day and that because I'm covered in tattoos I’ll probably won’t find a better job than the bakery?”

These questions weren’t anything new to Niall. Sometimes brave bad-ass Harry needed reassurance and needed Niall to tell him that he was good and special and loved.

“Of course not Harry! How can you even ask that? I know that you’re covered in tattoos and that you’re still not done adding those stupid hot drawings to your skin. I know that you smoke and drink. But I also know how smart you are and how intellectually capable you are to do anything you want to do. I know that you’re genuinely one of the most altruistic persons I have ever met. I know that you would do anything for your friends and family and that you would risk your life to save a damn cat if you wanted to. And I know that I love you Harry, and it’s a weird thing to say because we’re so different but there is no one I would rather love most.”

By the end of Niall’s speech, Harry was in tears and his hands were gripping Niall’s.

“That’s the first time you’ve ever told me you loved me.”

“I do you know.”

“I know doll, I love you too.”


End file.
